When we started Zumvee, one of the purpose we set out to achieve was for people to consume less and have increased levels of happiness at the same time. And this purpose grew out of an erroneous idea that seems to have taken root: that we need more stuff to be happy. Research has shown time and again that stuff does not make you happy (the video below sums it up nicely). Exercising, having a great time trying something new or spending more time with friends and family does.

With this in mind, it always gives us great satisfaction when our customers tell us that they were arranging a wake boarding experience for their parents or taking their wives on a vocal recording experience. It’s what we encourage people to do and we hope in time, the idea of experience gifts will be as big as in other parts of the world. If you believe that spending quality time is more important than pursuing more stuff, help us pass on the word by tweeting or sharing on Facebook and spread some happiness today!

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It’s almost holiday season again! That time of the year when your career takes a backseat to your social life; when work is less important than catching up with old friends and spending quality time with your family.

Coming up we have got Deepavali on Tuesday, 13th November (it’s probably too late to apply leave now) and after that Christmas which is also on a Tuesday, 25th December (there’s still a chance to apply). And it looks like people are already gift shopping for the year end season! If you don’t fancy giving away something ordinary this season, why not consider an experience gift? A huge idea in Europe since Red Letter Days first came up with it in 1999, experience gifts are specially selected to ensure that every recipient has a fun and memorable time. While the value of gifts like watches and wallets fade with each passing fashion trend, the memories from experiences like driving a super car or going for an art class get better with time and encourage conversations with the gift giver.

This year I’ve got several experience gift ideas for my loved ones. How about you? What gifts are you considering and what experiences would you like to see?

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Its been a busy start to the 3rd quarter here at Zumvee. We have been hard at work adding new experiences that will make great gifts and have organized a few smashing events for deserving employees while at it.

In June, we organized a mobile bar workshop for Continental Automotive. Held in a Toa Payoh condominium, participants learnt the art of concocting tasty drinks and the feedback we had was that they had alot of fun interacting with the barmaster! Kudos to the barmaster Kenneth for holding another banging session of perfect martinis, sexy cosmopolitans and cuban mojitos.

And then in August, for Teacher’s Day we were happy and honoured to arrange a relaxing day out for Pathlight School’s staff and teachers at Aloha Loyang. Participants got to choose from a facial, massage or classic manicure and pedicure held in an airy and spacious garden bungalow. The staff had a great time taking turns for their nail and massage spas and showing their best culinary skills at the BBQ pit.

This is an exciting time for all of us at Zumvee and we look forward to more events and customers enjoying experience gifts. In the coming weeks, there will be more experiences added to our site. So do check back soon.

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This post is written for the person in every organization tasked with organizing staff welfare or team building activites. Below are 3 locations which make ideal locations for such activities.

1. National Service Resort and Country Club

10 Changi Coast Walk, Singapore 499739

Each two-storey bungalow is fully air-conditioned and furnished in stylish and contemporary décor. There are two cosy bedrooms, spacious living and dining areas as well as a well-equipped kitchen. You can enjoy the cool seabreeze and lovely sea view while sipping wine at the verandah while your family has a cookout at the private barbeque pit located right at your door step.

Indulge in leisurely rewarding weekends or holiday getaways at the Aranda Country Club’s Executive Suites. The Executive Suites comprise of 30 units of elegantly furnished and complete with modern amenities. Each Executive Suite occupies approximately 1,550 sq feet of luxurious accommodation and equivalent to a standard executive flat, available for you and your family’s enjoyment.

A tranquil resort of 38 chalets ranging from 2 to 4 bedrooms, a different experience awaits you each time you stay in any of the Pool/Sea View terraces, Garden/Sea View Bungalows or the Garden Terraces. With its great facilities, there is always something for everyone. Be it a relaxing dip in the pool and Jacuzzis with the kids or having fun playing tennis with friends or even stealing a quiet moment with your loved one for a romantic walk down the beach, Aloha Loyang provides the fun throughout your stay.

For executives or managers planning a corporate activity, check out Zumvee’s corporate catalog. Zumvee has a wide selection of experiences in Singapore which can be customized to suit the unique cultures of different organizations. To start the conversation, simply fill in the form here and we will be in touch.

Updated on 14th Sep 2012

PS: We will be building this list as and when we come across more suitable locations. If you have any suggestions please leave a comment below.

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When it comes to employee incentives, many companies believe that cash is king. Indeed, many employees we speak to say they prefer cash, reason being that cash is the most flexible gift of all.

However, we beg to differ and here’s why:

1. Firstly, it is used towards more mundane items such as paying bills or buying groceries, which do not create positive associations with your company. Neither are people likely to talk to their colleagues about it, thus eliminating the opportunity to create buzz in the workplace.

2. Secondly, if companies give cash as rewards regularly, staff will soon see it as compensation rather than a treat.

3. Most importantly, it is impossible to personalize cash and to give it as a gift defeats the purpose of giving it in the first place, which is to show appreciation.

Experiences on the other hand have more social value and hence greater potential to create buzz in the office. How does your company show its staff that it appreciates them?

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It’s been 4 months since Zumvee was launched and we have been fortunate to have received much feedback from users and more importantly paying customers. It has always been our intention from the get go to venture into the corporate gifts market in order to grow Zumvee.

With so many companies claiming to offer unique corporate gifts out there, we knew we had our work cut out for us. We also understood the need to get our value proposition clear to differentiate ourselves from the crowd. Here’s how we do it:

1) Dare to be different – 99% of corporate gift companies sell branded items such as thumbdrives, pens and soft toys. We believe that experiences make for better gifts and are better at creating positive association using memories. Here’s some research that agrees.

2) Offer choice – We are constantly adding new experience providers so that those who receive our corporate gift certificates can find an experience that suits them. This is in contrast to traditional corporate gifts where the recipients either use it or leave it aside.

3) The little things matter – If you have a question about your experience or need help with bookings, we always try our best to provide you the support. When you receive service that is remarkable, we benefit from the positive word of mouth.

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Yes we do! And Mother’s Day this year falls on Sunday, 13th May. Already we are seeing many Zumvee shoppers browsing for gift ideas.

We have selected a great selection of experiences we think our mothers would like and placed them here. Some of them are what we know most mums will enjoy and some of them may be a surprise such as a drive in a Ferrari, but who says mothers can’t be adventurous :)